As the San Francisco 49ers prepare for a playoff run, the team’s new stadium is already scoring sustainability touchdowns.
Phase one of a solar installation has been completed at Levi’s Stadium, which will become the team’s new home in 2014. Its goal is to become the first NFL facility to have sustainability and LEED certification standards incorporated into its design and architecture.
The west side of the venue will feature 49 solar frames covering 9,574 square feet of the suite roof for a total of 544 solar panels, sporting an efficiency of 20% (the average is about 15%). Once completed, the site will also include three solar panel covered bridges that will serve as the main entry and exit into the stadium.
The solar arrays at Levi’s Stadium will have a combined peak capacity of about 375 kW. The amount of solar energy generated annually is expected to offset the power consumed at the stadium during 49ers regular season home games.
“The vision for Levi’s Stadium has always been to create a venue that is an economically and environmentally sustainable showcase for innovation,” says San Francisco 49ers President Gideon Yu. “With phase one of the solar installation now complete, we are one step closer to making that vision a reality.”
